Treat your tastebuds to an unusual blend of Mediterranean cuisine with a distinctly Alaska seafood twist -- and, while you're at it, soak up the visual flavor of Alaska's capital city -- at Zephyr.

Three easy blocks down Juneau's Seward Street hill from the Capitol itself, Zephyr is muted elegance with an artful bar, tiny tables for two, the lights from eight chandeliers reflecting off crystal-clear glass. But a wall full of windows facing the busy street also makes it a place to watch people -- the after-hours lobbyists and politicians and staffers who crack down to manage the state's business in a tight 90 days.

Taking its name from the Greek God for the west wind -- he of the gentle post-winter breezes harkening spring, and those subtle early summer currents that promise warmth and sunshine -- Zephyr blew in some relief for me. A month into the legislative session, it's a place you can sink into for a relaxing, two-hour meal with a friend, lively conversation of Capitol business and a bottle of red wine.

This time, the wine was an imported Italian Zenato Ripassa ($56).  A knowledgeable waitress gave the back-story: the wine is made in a special process, whereby the wine from crushed grapes is passed over dried grapes left over from making a different wine. Not knowing wine lingo well, I'll leave it at this: This red was deeply colored and full-bodied, not too dry, not too sweet.

The wine complemented an appetizer that was a stretch for me, but an adventure -- grilled baby octopus and frisée (a bitter green) with saffron aioli, $10. The baby octopus was that -- little sea-creatures with eight tentacles apiece, the tips curli-cued and slightly crunchy from time on the grill. I'm not real sure I'd try those little guys again, but they were worth sampling. As intriguing as they are, Zephyr's appetizers aren't belly-fillers, but samplers of something unusual.

The menu isn't particularly long, but there's a healthy mix of seafood (local when in season), heavy meats like lamb, veal and steak, plus chicken and pastas. I've tried steamer clams in a linguine nest, as well as salmon and skate at Zephyr's before, and their dressing-up of local seafood is masterful.

The cuisine fuses Mediterrrean fare -- there's plenty of Greek involved, including a spanakopita appetizer, along with some clean, basic pasta -- fettuccine or angel hair with shrimp.

I opted for the half chicken on polenta with sautéed spinach ($25), which loaded down the plate. The chicken was succulent inside, with a lightly crisp skin, a great contrast with the soft polenta and the perfectly al dente spinach.

I know polenta as an old family food -- my grandmother grew up with it as a staple, as did many people in Italy and the Eastern European countries. Zephyr's take didn't disappoint. The polenta wasn't quite as coarsely ground as I remember my grandmother's, but not so fine as to mush into lumpiness.

Across the table, my companion couldn't resist the lure of the juniper in a rack of lamb marinated with juniper and orange and fired to medium-rare, served with citrus honey and couscous ($36). He praised the three chops of moist, subtle lamb -- "absolutely sublime," I believe were the words -- but lamented the lack of juniper to his tastebuds.

We topped the meal off with a dark chocolate mousse, a refreshing take on a sometimes too-sweet standby ($8). It is served with little fanfare but has a delicious, dark flavor.

Finally, I have to compliment the service. Our server was prompt, friendly and knew what she was talking about, from the wines to the way octopus is prepared.